Moisture control arrangement and method



Get. 24, 1961 c. R. MANNING 3,005,238

MOISTURE CONTROL ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD Filed June 4, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. C URTIS R MANNING ATTORNEY 1961 R. MANNING 3,005,238

INVENTOR. CURTIS R. MANNING MKW ATTORNEY Oct. 24, 1961 c. R. MANNING MOISTURE CONTROL ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 4, 1957 .1 I l l ITO EMF SOURCE TO EMF SOURCE INVENTOR. CURTIS R. MANNING ATTORNEY nited Smtes Patent 3,005,238 MOISTURE CONTROL ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD Curtis R. Manning, Gainesville, Ga., assignor to Deeriug Millikan Research (Icrporation, Pendleton, S.C., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 4, 1957, Ser. No. 663,478 14 Claims. (Cl. 19-66) This invention relates to a lap forming and moisture controlling arrangement and method, and more particularly to an arrangement and method regulating the moisture content in laps of staple fiber textile materials as they are formed and proceed from pickers or the like in a textile picker room or the like.

In the conventional preparation of staple fibers of cotton or the like into a lap for the purpose of further processing, as in a carding machine, it is common practice to effect the lap forming operation, as well as one or two proceeding opening operations, in a substantially constant-humidity-controlled room in an attempt to maintain the lap moisture percentage or lap moisture regain as it is termed in the art, at a desired level and thus facilitate effective compensation for the moisture which is calculated to be present in the finished lap as a result of this constant room humidity. However, it has been found in actual practice that while the humidity in the picker room in which the lap is formed may be held constant, the moisture regain in the various finished laps will by no means be constant as a result of this constant room humidity. This phenomenon is generally explained by the fact that the cotton or other staple material which is being processed to form the lap has been, in its stock form such as in bales or the like, subjected to various uncontrolled humidity environments for varying lengths of time prior to proceeding through the opening and picker apparatus. In other words, since the supply stock may be quite varied in its initial moisture content prior to entry into the picker room the mere subjecting of the opened fibers to a constant humidity environment at this last stage or stages of operations is ineffective to cause the fibers in the lap which is formed to have a substantially constant and predetermined moisture regain. Accordingly, it has been necessary to frequently test samples of the lap being produced and to make various adjustments in either the lap-weighing scale and/or the picker apparatus, particularly the evener motion of the picker, in order to compensate for the variation in moisture regain which may be present in the lap which is being produced. One recent method which has been instituted in an attempt to overcome this difiiculty has been the provision of a continous moisture detecting apparatus adjacent the lap as it proceeds from the picker in order to detect the amount tially constant value, as in otherwise conventional picker room practice, through the use of constant humidity control apparatus of conventional form, such being tied in in no way with the moisture regain sensing device adjacent the lap being formed. While this apparatus might be said to be an improvement over the previous practice of frequent trial and error tests which resulted in frequent picker and weighing scale changes, it is by no means entirely satisfactory since the weight of the lap itself may vary con,

and necessity for adjustment of the picker apparatus,.

particularly the evener motion, will be materially decreased.

formed is regulated in as a function of the moisture reof moisture regain which is actually present in each incremental individual segment of lap as it proceeds past the sensing element of the moisture regain detecting and indicating instrument. From this information the picker operator then sets his lap weighing scales, upon which the laps are weighed, to compensate for the weight of water which it is indicated would be present in a lap of a given predetermined length as a result of the moisture content detected and indicated by the moisture regain indicating device, thereby attempting to insure that the actual net Weight of cotton fibers per se or the like in the lap, exclusive of water, will be a constant predetermined amount irrespective of the total weight of various individual laps including their varied water content. In this arrangement, however, there is no apparatus for'controlling the humidity in the picker noom as a resultof the moisture content which is detected in the lap being produced; it being the practice in the use of this system to It is still a further object to provide an arrangement and method of regulating the moisture regain in laps of moisture absorbent material such as cotton or the like in a humidity controllable room through the detection of moisture regain in the lap being produced, and the automatic regulation of the room humidity dependent upon the moisture regain detected in the lap material being produced.

Still. a further object of the invention is to provide a moisture regain control arrangement and method wherein the moisture regain in the lap being produced is continuously detected and indicated on a suitable recording medium and controlled by a moisture feedback control arrangement including a lap-moisture detecting and moisturizing arrangement, and wherein the room humidity is controlled and maintained at a selected relative humidity by a constant humidity controlling device when the lap forming apparatus is stopped.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a moisture regain control apparatus and method wherein the relative humidity in the room in which the lap is being formed is regulated as a function of the moisture regain detected in the lap being produced during the time such lap is being produced, and wherein the room humidity is maintained at a substantially constant predetermined selected relative humidity when the lap producing apparatus is stopped.

Still another object of the inventiion is the provision of a moisture regain control apparatus and method wherein the relative humidity in the room in which the lap is being gain detected in the lap being produced during the time such lap is being'produced, and wherein the room humidity is maintained at a substantially constant predetermined selected relative humidity when the lap producing picker apparatus is stopped, and further including a moisture regain and picker apparatus on-off indicator wherein the moisture regain detected is recorded during the operation of the picker and wherein a characteristic indication is rendered on the recording medium during the period of stoppage of the picker upon which the lap readings are being detected.

In carrying out the foregoing and other objects of the invention which will become apparent after a reading of the following detailed description of a preferred embodix ment according to this invention, the invention in brief outline comprises the method, and apparatus for carrying out the method, including the steps of detecting the moisture regain in a lap of textile fiber material as it is being produced, and automatically regulating the relative humidity in the room in which the lapisbeing produced, such Patented Oct. 24, 1961 automatic regulation being a function of the moisture regain so detected, and forcibly passing the humidityregulated room air past and in contact with the fibers in snbstantially open state prior to, their, being formed into the lap. As an optional additional control arrangement a continuous recording apparatus may be employed in conjunction with the regain detecting apparatus, and this recording apparatus preferably takes theform of a single stylus recording instrument which is arranged to continuously. indicate the moisture regain at all times during the operation of the picker upon which the moisture regain isbeingdetected, and which has a characteristic indica tion by the same single stylus which denotes shut-down or interruption of operation of said picker. to the invention it has been found satisfactory to employ asingle detecting and control arrangement whichdetects.

the moisture regain of lap being produced on one individual picker in a picker room having a plurality of pickers therein, particularly in view of the'fact that each of the pickers in such a room is normally supplied by common distribution device such as a rake distributor, with the result thata sampling of the .fibers in any one of the. pickers is substantially representative of the product being produced at any given time by each of the pickers having this same common source ofsupply. A further aspect according to the invention lies in the provision of a room humidity control arrangement wherein the room humidity will be controlled as a function of the moisture regain detected by the lap-moisture-regain-detecting device duringtheoperation ofthe picker, and wherein the room.

humiditywill becontrolled at a selected predetermined constant value upon the interruption of operation of the picker.

It hasfurther been found that as a result of practice of this invention the necessity for adjusting the picker appa ratus has been materially decreased. Previously it was foundnecessary to frequently adjust the evener motion of the picker apparatus in order to attempt to produce a lap of more even thickness. It is not precisely known why the practice of this invention decreases the necessity for thisadjustment; however, itis believed that this is due to the fact that with a more even moisture content in the fibers passing through the picker apparatus the evener motion (which is responsive to lap thickness) will be responding to variations in lap thickness which are caused by more true variations in amount of cotton in the lap thicknessrather than variations in lap thickness caused to a considerable extent bythe variations of water content in the fibers and consequent variations of swelling of the fibers and thickness of the web with the same extent of fibers,'as apparently occurred in practice in the prior art. Irrespective of the precise reason for this increased effectiveness of the picker apparatus when employed in accordance with the instantinvention, this is an important and meritorious advantage which results in the savingofconsidera blew time and increased output.

Still other objects and attendant advantages will. become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment according to the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic plan view of a typical picker room arrangement according to the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a more detailed schematic arrangement of the electricalcontrol circuit of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a schematic side view illustration of the front section of a picker having a lap roll moisture detector applied-thereto according to the invention.

FIGURE 4 is an illustration of a chart with a generally typical period of operation, in accordance with the various aspects of the invention, shown thereon.

Referring to FIGURE 1, a conventional picker room arrangement is schematically illustrated in plan view wherein loose cotton is suitably conveyedfrom an opening room (not shown) through a floor conduit .10, to, a

humidity-controllable picker room 12 having a receiving- According hopper 14, and,thence through a cleaner 16, a,lattice opener 18, and rake distributor 20, from which it is dis tributed to a plurality of pickers 22 (in the instant example six pickers arranged in parallel feed relation from a common rake distributor 20.) where it is further opened and/orv otherwise worked in an open state, and then formed into a lap L and wound into a roll. At various points orareas along the line of travel of the cotton from conduit 10 to the lap side of the pickers the cotton or other hygroscopic-lap formable material is subjected to an intense forcing of room air therethrough, which oper ation is conventionally effected by fans such as indicated at 21 in a typical picker arrangement in FIGURE 3, disposed within the various fiber working apparatus such as cleaners 16, openers 18, and pickers 22. These fans conventionally serve the purpose of blowing or sucking room air through the various processing apparatus (16, 18, 20, etc.) and their interconnecting conduits, the air acting as a vehicle fortransporting the textile fibers between and through the processing apparatus and for effecting a degree of cleaning of the fibers. Separation of the fibers from the air is conventionally accomplished in each apparatus as by placing a screen such as a rotating cylin drical screen, such as shown at 23 in atypical picker arrangement in FIGURE 3, in the path ofthe air and fibers, This results in the fibers being collected on the screen for further processing by the apparatus as may be appropriate, with the air being vigorously forced through and past and in intimate contact with the fibers, particularly in the vicinity of the separating screen or screens. The points or areas of air intake in typical conventional apparatus are indicated by the letter A; however, it will be understood that these or other suitable air intakes might suitably be disposed at other points or areas alongthe line of travel of the fibers through the room to their final processing stage, and more or less air intakes orthe like might be employedas desired. 7

According. to the instant invention, moisture regain in the cotton or. other. staple fibers is detected at or near the output side of one picker (preferably one of the center pickers, as indicated by 220) as through the use of a conventional moisture detecting apparatus, such as the Brown moisture meter, the detecting or sensing element: comprising a detector roll.24 engaging the outer surface of the cotton or other fiber lap L, with the plate or roll 26 (such as the top calenderroll or a plate over which the lap isprogressed) of the picker 22cover which the lap sheetrL is riding at that point being grounded and serving asthe other contact or electrode. In such an arrangement, the resistance or impedance between the two contacts, (rolls, plates, or the like, 24, 26) is a function of, and indication of, moisture content of the material therebet'ween assumingsubstantially constant density and thickness of,v material). Inaccordan'ce with conventional practice this resistance or impedance value is employed as a variable resistance or impedance leg in a self-balancing bridge detector and indicator circuit arrangement, generally indicated at 28, to continuously indicate the mois-. ture content of the lap material, which in this instance is.,cotto'n lap L.

The, bridge detector and indicator arrangement 28 has.

apivotally mounted indicator, arm and stylus 30,WhiC-h continuously indicates instantaneous moisture in the adjacent lap L for eachinstant of time on a suitable chart 32, which may suitablybe of any suitable type, such as the rectilinear longitudinally progressing type orpreferably of the circular polar coordinate type as shown, the circular polar coordinate; chart in the instant example being slowly,rotatably, driven at a suitable low speed as by. a. synchronous continuously driven motor 34. Suite ably arranged andpivotally supported for angular. movement proportionate to the movement of arm 30 is, according. to the-invention, a mercuryswitch 3 6, or other suitable-position sensitive switch, which controls a solenoidoperatedair valve 38-in-the main air pressure supply line 40 of the moisturizing system for the picker room 12, which moisturizing systemmay be of any suitable type, and preferably is of the conventional type employing spray nozzles 42 at spaced positions throughout the overhead area of the picker room 12. In such a conventional spray nozzle arrangement, the spray nozzles 42 may suitably be of the venturi type having a common source of air supply thereto through conduits 40, and a source of water supply through suitable conduits 44. The solenoid valve 38 is normally deenergized' and opened, permitting air to how through the air conduits from a suitable source, not shown, of pressurized air and into the venturi nozzles 42 at their spaced positions about the upper portion of the picker room 12, thus causing a supply or jet of moisture to be ejected therefrom into the room at each overhead nozzle position, and thereby increasing the humidity of the air in the room. However, upon the moisture content in the lap L at the detection point reaching or exceeding a preselected value (eg. as an example 7%s% has been successfully used when it is desired to maintain approximately 7% moisture in the lap L) the mercury switch 36 will be moved by arm 30 to closed position, thereby energizing and closing solenoid air valve 38, which cuts olf the air flow to the supply nozzles 42 and thus stops the flow of further spray into the room 12.

Due to the fact that there is a short time lag before the cotton fibers which have achieved the highest regain value at the time of the shut-ofi of the spray nozzles 42 will reach the sensing element (roll 24) of the detecting and indicating device 28, the detected moisture content will continue to rise for a brief period and will then start to'fall off. In the instant example the indicated moisture may rise to approximately 7 after a cut-01f of the spray nozzles upon the detection of a moisture regain of 7 /a% in the lap L. When the detected lap moisture level has again dropped past 7%% the mercury switch 36 will again open, causing opening of solenoid air valve 38.. This permits the pressureized. air to again flow through the air conduit system 4% from a suitable source of air pressure supply (not shown) and after a brief time lag period the pressure buildup in the conduit system 40 will be suflicient to operate the spray nozzle 42 to again spray water into the room 12. Meanwhile, the moisture in the air will have been picked up (by absorption and/ or adsorption) to such an extent by the fibers being processed that the room humidity will have been lowered during the spray cut-01f period to the point where the lap-moisture percentage or regain which will be detected at the low point prior to upturn of regain indication as a result of the reactua-tion of spray nozzles 42 may reach a value of the order of 6% to 6%i% or the like, such usually being of the order of 6%% when the mercury switch cut-in point is set for 7% that a control of regain in the lap to an error tolerance of approximately L 4% or less is possible in a typical practice of my invention, whereas it has been common in the prior art for the regain to vary radically as much as 3 to 4% or more in a typical days operation.

It will be apparent that the operation of this system relies upon the intimate contact, and preferably forced circulation, of the lap-moisture-controlled room air through the cotton or the like at one or more of the various stages of cleaning, opening, and picking as its proceeds through the room. It will also be understood that while a typical picker room has been illustrated wherein cleaning, opening, and picking apparatus are utilized and wherein moisture is added to the room air by overhead spray nozzles, the system and method according to the invention is equally applicable to picker rooms having a picker or pickerstherein with other types of processing apparatus preceding the picker or pickers or with no additional opening or other processing apparatus as may sometimes be the arrangement, and that other suitable air moisturizing arrangements might be employed if desired, provided that the air moisturizing equipment is It will thus be seen operatively controlled as a result of detection of moisture regain in the lap 01' the like by a suitable lap moisture detecting device.

It is a further feature according to the invention that means have been provided for indicating ofif time for the control picker (22c) on the single moisture chart 32 and with the same single stylus 30, as well as for placing the moisture supply system, under the control of a conventional selectively constant humidity control device 46 when the picker 220 is stopped. It will immediately be apparent that this is an important and advantageous management too and that indications of considerable significance will thus be supported on the single chart 32. To this end a relay -48 operatively connected to and controlled by the start-stop lever 52 for the control picker 22c is employed to selectively place with the detector roll 24 or a low value resistor 54, or other suitable resistance or impedance element, in a variable leg of the bridge circuit of the bridge detecting and indicating arrangement 28.

As will be seen from FIGURE 2, the relay 48 is energized and deenergized by closing and. opening of a switch 50 suitably mechanically interconnected to the start-stop or knock-off lever 52 of the picker 226, which picker conventionally has a drive clutch 56 operatively controlled by the start-stop lever 52, the relay 48 being thus energized during the operation of the picker 220. In this energized state the detector roll 24 together with the lap L and other contact element or electrode 26, is operatively connected into the bridge leg. Stopping of the picker 22c, as by movement of the start-stop lever 52, results in deenergization of relay 48, whereupon contacts 58, 60, 62 are opened and previously open contacts 64, 66, 68 are closed, thereby placing low resistance resistor 54 into effective circuit relation in the bridge leg of the detecting and indicating arrangement 28. The resistance of the resistor 54 is chosen such that a predetermined false moisture indication 0 (see FIGURE 4) preferably considerably above (eg. 1 or 2% or the like) that encountered at any time during the normal controlled conditions (eg for the instant example) a false reading of 7%'% has been found quite adequate, since the actual readings R for the 7%% cut-ofi seldom go more than slightly above this cutoff value, usually going up to about 7%;%, and very seldem, if ever, come anywhere close to 7%% when the apparatus is fuunctioning properly. This results in the chart 32 giving a constant value obviously false high reading 0 for each stop of the picker 220, which reading continues for the duration of the down or off time of this picker. Upon again actuating the lever 52, and restarting the picker 22c the relay 48 is closed; resistor 54 is removed from the bridge circuit, and the indicator roll 24 and adjacent cotton lap L and second electrode 26 are again connected in circuit relation in the bridge.

Also at the time that the picker 220 is stopped, the resultant deenergization of relay 48 causes contacts 70, 72, '74 to be closed, thereby operatively energizing automatic selectively constant humidity control apparatus 46 which may be of conventional construction, the apparatus 46 thereby assuming control of the air supply to the supply nozzles 42. The constant humidity control apparatus 46 controls a by-pass valve 76 in a bypass air supply line 78 and operates in a conventional or otherwise suitable manner to open and close this valve in response to relative humidity variations from a selected desired constant room humidity (e.g. 60%). It will be apparent that this automatic control unit 46 is in complete control of the humidity during the shutdown of the picker 22c, inasmuch as the arm 30 will indicate 7%% or some arbitrary predetermined relatively high value (or an arbitrary relatively low value, if desired, though such is not preferable), which is above the point (7%%) at which mercuiy switch 36 closes and shuts off solenoid air valve 38.

Thisltalge-over of controlby the constant humidity control device 46 is desirable during this periodof picker shutdown, forone reason due to the fact that arm 30 and mercury switch 36 would otherwise continue to hold solenoid valve 38 closed, and the humidity would in manyinstances drop considerably below the desired level. It is further desirable to have this provision, in that the detection and moisture control system for the cotton is reasonably valid only for substantially continuous flow operation. In other words even without the on-off indication on chart 32 and consequent lack of responsive control by the bridge circuit it would be undesirable in most instances to continuously detect and control from only one small stationary sample of material for any extended period of time, as such single sample does not for anyvery extended period of time remain representative of thewhole mass or any particular mass of cotton or the like then in the processing system in the room.

While for purposes of illustration I have shown and described one preferred-physical embodiment according to the invention, it will readily be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications or other embodiments may be constructed and employed in accordance with the invention and without departing from the scope and spirit thereof. Accordingly, it is to be understood that my invention is not to be limited by the specific illustrated embodiment but only by the scope of the appended claims.

That which is claimed is:

1. The process of forming a lap of staple fibers, comprising working staple fibers in a loose substantially open state in air connection with the room air, forming said staple fibers into a progressing sheet in a substantially closed humidity-controlled room, detecting the moisture content of said fibers, in said sheet, and adjusting the humidity of said room dependent upon whether the detected moisture content in said progressing sheet is above or below a desired moisture content level, said detection being substantially continuous during the forming of said lap, and rendering a continuous indication on a recording medium ofvthe moisture content detected in said lap sheet during the forming of said lap sheet, said indication being changed to a selected arbitrary value upon interruption of formation of said lap, saidvalue being substantially diiferent from the values normally recorded on said medium as. an indication of moisture content in said fibers, and maintaining said arbitrary value indication only during said internuptions.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein said humidity adjustment dependent upon moisture indication in said lap sheet is continued during formation of said lap sheet, and stopped during interruption of formation and movement of said lap sheet, and further including the step of maintaining the room humidity in said room at a substantially constant selected humidity level during said interruption.

3. The process of forming a lap of staple fibers, comprising workingstaple fibers in a loose substantially open state in air connection with the room air, forming said staple fibers intoa progressing sheet in a substantially closedhumidity-controlled room, detecting the moisture content of said fibers in situ in said sheet, and adjusting the humidity of said room dependent upon whether the detected in situ moisture content in said progressing sheet is above or below a desired moisture content level, said humidity adjustment dependent upon moisture indication in said lap sheet being continued during formation of said lap sheet, and stopped during interruption of formation and movement of said lap sheet, and IHZLlI1- taining the room humidity in said room at a substantially constant selected humidity level during said interruption.

4'- In a staplefiber-lap-forming room having at least one open-fiber-working and lap-forming-and-progressing apparatus and means to supply a moistening medium to the air in said room, the combination of meanstoregug. late the supply of moisture added to said room air, and, a transducer in situ adjacent the fiber flow path in said apparatus and responsive to the moisture content of the lap material being produced and progressed by said lap-forming apparatus and operatively connected incou trolling relation to said moisture regulating means.

5. In a staple-fiber-lap forming room havin g at; least one open fiber-working and lap-forming-andprogressing apparatus and means to supply a moistening medium to the air in said room, the combinationof'means to regulate the supply of moisture addedto said roornair, and a transducer responsive to the moisture content of the lap material being produced and progressed by said lap-forming apparatus and operatively connected incontrolling relation to said moisture regulating means, main.

control means operatively connected to said lap-moisture nected to said constant-room-humidity control-means and operable in response to said interruption of operation of said lap-forming apparatus to actuate said constant-roomhumidity control means.

6. The combnation according to claim 4, including a fan disposed in air flow relation to the flowpath of.

said fibers while in open state and adapted to forcefully move moisture-laden air in said room against said fibers, while in the open-fiber-working portion of saidappara; tus.

7; In a controlled humidity room the combination comprising textile fiber processing apparatus disposed in. said room, said apparatus having a fiber input means, fiber-path-forming guides, and fiber output means; an, opening formed in at least one of said guides freely; connecting fiber material in transit therepastv with the; open atmosphere in said room; air moving means direct? ing room air forcefully onto said fibers adjacent said opening; and room-humidity-controlling apparatus comprising fiber-moisture-sensing means dispos'ed'inclose, adjacency to the moving fibers proceeding through said machine, and room-air-moisture-varying apparatus oper; atively connected to and in operativelycontrolled rela tion by said fiber-moisture-sensing means.

8. The combination according to claim 7 wherein said processing apparatus comprises a textilev picker frame.

9. The combination according to claim 7 wherein said moisture-varying apparatus comprises at leastone mois: ture-ejecting spray nozzle disposed in the open air said room, a pressure supply line operatively connected to said nozzle, said fiber-moisture-sensing means, being, operatively connected in controlling relation to said supply line.

comprising textile fiber processing apparatus disposedin said room, said apparatus having a fiber input means, fiber-path-forming guides, and fiber output means; an, opening formed in at least one of said guides freely con-, necting fiber material in transit therepastwith the open I atmosphere in said room; air moving means directing room air forcefully onto saidfibers adjacent said opening; and roomhumidity-controlling apparatus compjrising fiber-moisture-sensing means disposed in close adjacency to the moving fibers proceeding through said machine, and room-air-moisture-varying apparatus operatively connected to and in operatively controlled relation; by said fiber-moisture-sensing means, said fiber-moisture, sensing means comprising an electrical bridge circuit, lil cluding first and second electrodes disposed on opposite, sides of the path of fibers in said processingapparatm,

ll. The combination according to claim lpjwhereinl; said electrodes are fiber-contacting members, and are 10. In a controlled humidity room the combination disposed on opposite sides of the path of fibers adjacent the output end of said processing apparatus.

12. The combination according to claim 11 wherein said processing apparatus comprises a textile picker machine having a running fiber lap output product and a loose open fiber input thereto, said fiber engaging member being disposed on opposite sides of the path of at least a segment of said running fiber lap.

13. In a controlled humidity room the combination comprising textile fiber processing apparatus disposed in said room, said apparatus having a fiber input means, fiber-path forming guides, and fiber output means; an opening formed in at least one of said guides freely connecting fiber material in transit therepast with the open atmosphere in said room; air moving means directing room air forcefully onto said fibers adjacent said opening; and room-humidity-controlling apparatus comprising fiber-moisture-sensing means disposed in close adjacency to the moving fibers proceeding through said machine, and room-air-moisture-varying apparatus operatively connected to and in operatively controlled relation by said fiber-moisture-sensing means, said processing apparatus including a plurality of fiber-picking and lapforming machines disposed in said room, said roomhumidity-controlling apparatus including said fiber- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 747,315 Brantley Dec. 15, 1903 1,567,031 Buensod Dec. 29, 1925 1,711,574 Miller May 7, 1929 1,827,530 Le Grand Oct. 13, 1931 2,057,369 Curley Oct. 13, 1936 2,057,641 Curley et al. Oct. 13, 1936 2,484,594 Spangenberg Oct. 11, 1949 2,717,122 Gwaltney Sept. 6, 1955 2,718,620 Howe Sept. 20, 1955 2,724,903 Ehrisman Nov. 29, 1955 

